Apparatus for applying covers to cartons



P 1958 J. L. DALY ETAL 2,850,858

APPARATUS FOR APPLYING COVERS TO CARTONS Filed July 20, 1956 3Sheets-Sheet 1 JOHN L. DAL), GEORGE E. HALL and HARRY w TAYLOR,

\2 W their Alla/nay.

Sept. 9, 1958 J. L. DALY ETAL 2,850,853

APPARATUS FOR APPLYING COVERS TO CARTONS Filed July 20, 1956 3Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS. JOHN L. DAL), GEORGE E. HALL and HARRY M.TAYLOR,

their Al/omy Sept. 9, 1958 J. L. DALY E'IAL 'APPARATUS FOR APPLYINGCOVERS'TO CARTONS Filed July 20, 1956 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 M M UR) m uwVLAVI N H T 8 L 6v! RR W J M m @Mz United States PatentO APPARATUS FORAPPLYING COVERS TO CARTONS John L. Daly and George B. Hall, Concord, andHarry W. Taylor, Antioch, Califi, assignors to United States SteelCorporation, a corporation of New Jersey Application July 20, 1956,Serial No. 599,218

7 Claims. (Cl. 53-306) This invention relates to a machine for applyingcovers to containers.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved machine adapted toapply covers rapidly and automatically to successive containerstraveling on a conveyor.

A further object is to provide an improved cover-applying machine whichovercomes any need for manually handling either the covers or thecontainers to which they are applied.

A more specific object is to provide an improved cover-applying machinewhich automatically positions each container of a succession carried bya conveyor, automatically feeds a cover and forces it on the container,and automatically releases the covered container to resume its travel.

. In accomplishing these and other objects of the invention, we haveprovided improved details of structure, a preferred form of which isshown in the accompanying drawings, in which: I

Figure 1 is a somewhat diagrammatic side elevational view, with partsbroken away, of a machine constructed in accordance with our invention;

.Figure 2 is a vertical cross section on line II'-II of Figure 1; Q

(Figure, 3 is an end elevational view showing the parts in anotherposition;

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3, but showing the parts in stillanother position;

Figure 5 is a horizontal section on a larger scale on line VV of Figure3; and

Figure 6 is a vertical section on line Vl-VI of Figure 5.

Our cover-applying machine includes a roller conveyor 10 which carries asuccession of containers A, B and C from right to left as viewed inFigure 1. The conveyor extends between a pair of frames 13 and 14 andover a vertically movable retractible stop 15 and a doubleacting fluidpressure cylinder 16 for raising and lowering the stop. When a containeron the conveyor reaches a position between the two frames, it engagesthe raised stop, which arrests its travel, although the conveyor rollsmay continue to turn.

Side guide mechanisms 17 and 18 are mounted on the frames 13 and 14respectively and are of similar construction, except that the guidemechanism 17 preferably is adjustable toward and away from the conveyor10 to accommodate varying widths of containers, while the guidemechanism 18 can be fixed. Each guide mechanism includes a supportingplate 19 which slopes inwardly and upwardly, and a double-acting fluidpressure cylinder 20 and a pair of guide rods 21 fixed to the inner faceof said plate. Said rods carry a crosshead 22 which is motivated by saidcylinder. As best shown in Figures 5 and 6, each crosshead carries avertical side plate 23, a vertical end flange 24 fixed to the front endof said plate, and upwardly tapered rear and front corner angles 25 and26 adjacent the bottom of the plate. The rear angle 25 preferably isadjustably mounted on a screw-threaded spindle 27 so that its spacingwith respect to the front angle 26 can be varied to accommodatecontainers of dilferent lengths, while the front angle can be fixeddirectly to the plate 23. Preferably the plate 23 of one or both guidemechanisms 17 and 18 carries a spring cushioned compression plate 28,illustrated as applied only to the guide mechanism 17. As best shown inFigure 3, when the cylinders 20 of the respective guide mechanisms areactuated to raise the crossheads 22 thereof, the plates 22 moveobliquely upwardly until their angles 25 and 26 engage the upper rearand front corners of a container.

As best shown in Figure 1, a belt conveyor 32 is suitably supportedabove the roller conveyor 10 and carries a series of inverted covers M.Conveyor 32 discharges the covers to the upper end of a chute 33 whichis of semi-circular configuration when the machine is viewed in endelevation (Figure 2), and terminates in an open-ended chamber 34. Coversfrom conveyor 32 slide down the chute 33 and stop in the chamber 34,being turned over to their upright position in the process. To assurethat the covers move fully into the'chamber, a power driven booster roll35 preferably projects into the chute adjacent its juncture with thechamber and positively propels the covers. As shown in Figure 1, thechute and chamber are spaced ahead of the frames 13 and 14 and thebottom of the chamber is located above the maximum container height.

As best shown in Figure l, a horizontally movable pusher 36, whichincludes a double-acting fluid pressure cylinder 37, is suitablysupported above conveyor 10 in line with the chamber 34 toward the entryside thereof. When the side guide mechanisms 17 and 18 are raised asshown in Figure 3, the cylinder 37 can be actuated, whereupon the pushershoves a cover M from the chamber 34 into the opening defined by thevertical guide plates 23 and the end flanges 24. The compression plate28 positions the cover snugly in this opening. A vertically movablepusher 38, which includes a double-acting fluid pressure cylinder 39, issuitably supported on the upper portion of the frames 13 and 14 directlyabove the opening between the plates 23. After the pusher 36 has thusdelivered a cover from the chamber 34 and retracted, cylinder 39 can beactuated, whereupon the pusher 38 shoves the cover downwardly over theupwardly tapered corner angles 25 and 26, which guide the cover smoothlyinto a position where it receives the upper portion of the container.Simultaneously the guide mechanisms 17 and 18 are lowered, with drawingthe corner angles 25 and 26 obliquely downwardly from the bottom of thecover and moving them clear of the container. Continued actuation of thecylinder 39 pushes the cover fully onto the container, as shown inFigure 4. Finally the cylinder 39, is actuated in the opposite directionto retract the pusher 38, and the cylinder 16 to retract the stop 15 andrelease the covered container, which resumes its travel on the conveyor10,

It is seen that our machine is readily adapted for fully automaticoperation. It is only necessary to install solenoid operated reversingvalves for controlling admission of fluid to the various cylinders and asuitable control circuit, including limit switches, for operating thevalves in the proper sequence. Since manual control of the cylinders isentirely feasible and control circuits of this type operate inaccordance with well-known principles, we do not deem it necessary toshow details of such a circuit. In either event the machine appliescovers to containers rapidly and without manual handling of either thecovers or the containers.

While we have shown and described only a single embodiment of theinvention, it is apparent that modifications may arise. Therefore we donot wish to be limited to the disclosure set forth but only by the scopeof the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A machine for applying covers to containers comprising a conveyoradapted to carry a succession of containers, stop means for arrestingtravel of a container on said conveyor, guide means adapted to engagethe upper portion of a container whose travel has been arrested by saidstop means, means for delivering a cover to said guide means above acontainer engaged thereby, and means for forcing the cover down on thecontainer while disengaging said guide means, said stop means beingretractible to allow the covered container to resume its travel on saidconveyor.

2. A machine for applying covers to containers com prising a firstconveyor adapted to carry a succession of containers, stop means forarresting travel of a container on said first conveyor, a pair of guidemechanisms on opposite sides of said first conveyor adapted to engagethe upper portion of a container Whose travel has been arrested by saidstop means, a second conveyor above said first conveyor adapted to carrya succession of covers, means for delivering a cover from said secondconveyor to said guide mechanisms above a container engaged thereby, andmeans for forcing the cover from said guide mechanisms down on thecontainer while simultaneously disengaging said guide mechanisms, saidstop means being retractible to allow the covered container to resumeits travel on said first conveyor.

3. A machine as defined in claim 2 in which each of said guidemechanisms includes a supporting frame, a crosshead supported on saidframe for movement obliquely upwardly downwardly, motive means for saidcrosshead carried by said frame, a vertical side plate carried by saidcrosshead, a vertical end flange carried by the front edge of saidplate, and front and rear upwardly tapered corner angles carried by saidplate adjacent the lower end thereof.

4. A machine as defined in claim 2 in which each of said guidemechanisms includes a supporting frame, a crosshead supported on saidframe for movement oblique- 1y upwardly and downwardly, a double-actingfluid pressure cylinder carried by said frame for motivating saidcrosshead, a vertical side plate carried by said crosshead, a verticalend flange carried by said plate, said plate and flange being cooperablewith those on the opposite guide mechanism to define an opening forreceiving and positioning a cover, and rear and front upwardly taperedcorner angles carried by said plate adjacent the lower end and beingcooperable with those on the opposite guide mechanism to engage theupper corners of a container and guide the cover from said opening overthe top of the container.

5. A machine as defined in claim 4 in which one of said guide mechanismsis adjustable toward and away from said first conveyor to accommodatecontainers of varying width, and each of said rear angles is adjustabletoward and away from the respective front angle to accommodatecontainers of varying length.

6. A machine as defined in claim 2 in which said cover delivering meansincludes a chute adapted to receive covers from said second conveyor, anopen-ended cham her at the discharge end of said chute and spaced abovesaid first conveyor ahead of said plates, and a pusher for pushing acover from said chamber into said open- 7. A machine as defined in claim2 in which said cover delivering means includes a chute of semi-circularconfiguration adapted to receive covers in inverted position at itsupper end, an open-ended chamber at the discharge end of said chute andspaced above said first conveyor ahead of said plates, said chute beingadapted to transmit covers to said chamber and turn them over intoupright position, means for positively propelling the covers fully intosaid chamber, and a pusher for pushing a cover from said chamber intosaid opening.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,049,761 Daniels Aug. 4, 1936 2,093,138 Riesebeck Sept. 14, 19372,325,557 Terry July 27, 1943

